Image Credit: Prime Video
Starting today, the seventh episode of Invincible Season 4—the penultimate episode of the season of the acclaimed animated TV series based on Robert Kirkman’s comic book—is available exclusively on Prime Video on-demand streaming platform…and once again, there’s no shortage of plot twists!
Titled “Don’t Do Anything Rash,” Invincible 4×07 is an explosive episode that showcases the protagonists’ first battle against Thragg and his Viltrumites… a battle in which, as one might expect, nothing goes according to Mark and the other protagonists’ plans!
It is a time of war: this is what Thaedus has declared repeatedly in the latest episodes of Invincible. In last week’s episode, Mark (Steven Yeun) spent two months recovering from his near-fatal encounter with Conquest (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). While they were taking care of Mark, Nolan (J.K. Simmons) and Oliver (Christian Convery) finally began to bond, with the latter now believing that his father has truly changed for the better. But once they reunited with Thaedus (Peter Cullen), Allen (Seth Rogen), Tech Jacket (Zoey Deutch), Telia (Tatiana Maslany), and Battle Beast (Michael Dorn) on Talescria, our heroes were ambushed by Thragg (Lee Pace) and his Viltrumite army. Although the battle forces Thragg to retreat, Talescria is devastated, and Thaedus announces the need to counterattack by traveling to Viltrum.
Episode 7, “Don’t Do Anything Rash,” is another shocking, action-packed chapter in the Invincible saga, in which we finally see Mark arrive on Viltrum for the first time…
The episode begins with a flashback set during the reign of Emperor Argall (Frank Welker), with the character finally making his physical debut in the series. After conquering and enslaving an alien planet, their plans to exploit its resources are once again thwarted when an alien plants an explosive on one of their devices. During a briefing led by Argall, a young Thaedus opposes the emperor and suggests that the Viltrumites have always shown respect for signs of strength and should therefore leave the planet alone. But Argall and Thragg scoff at the idea: during a private meeting, Thragg expresses his concern to Argall about Thaedus, who is no longer as ruthless as he once was and whose weakness could pose a threat to Viltrum. As soon as Argall is left alone, Thaedus sneaks into his chambers and prepares to assassinate him…
Finally, as he publicly announces Argall’s death, Thragg assumes the role of Grand Regent and orders the Viltrumites to “eradicate weakness.” This leads the Viltrumites to kill one another in a frenzied battle where only the strongest survive. Thragg waits solemnly on the throne and, emerging from the rubble, tells the survivors, “It is done,” leading a Viltrumite chant proclaiming, “All is ours.”
In the present, Thaedus gathers Mark, Nolan, Oliver, Allen, Telia, Tech Jacket, Battle Beast, and Space Racer (Winston Duke) to attack Thragg on Viltrum: according to intelligence, the Regent will be nearly alone, as many of the surviving Viltrumites will not be on the planet for several days. Allen interjects, wondering if killing Thragg would only further fuel the fury of the Viltrum Empire. But Thaedus replies that once Thragg is dead, the remaining Viltrumites will surrender one by one: they must focus on killing Thragg.
Mark records one last video message for Eve, saying that everyone is extremely nervous about fighting Thragg—even Nolan. He decides not to send the message, declaring, “I love you, and I’ll come back to you.” Meanwhile, Oliver, Allen, Tech Jacket, Telia, and Battle Beast try to eat, but can’t: Battle Beast says they “need to eat before the battle.” In another room, Thaedus and Nolan confront each other, and Nolan says that while he agrees with killing Thragg, he’s worried that the ultimate goal is to exterminate all Viltrumites, including Mark and Oliver.
Then, Telia announces that they have reached Viltrum’s orbit and that it is time to prepare. They devise a plan to stay together when they face Thragg: no one is to attempt to face him alone. Nolan and Oliver embrace Mark, while Allen bids farewell to Telia before heading outside.
Mark is shocked when he sees a circle of corpses surrounding Viltrum, and it is explained to him that this is intentional: a warning against weakness. Of course, however, everything immediately goes awry: Thragg is already out there on the planet, waiting for them; not only that, but many Viltrumites are hiding among the corpses, ready to ambush our team. Thragg summons Kregg (Clancy Brown), Anissa (Shantel VanShanten), Thula (Grey Griffin), and Lucan (Phil LaMarr), and they begin attacking the team…
Tech Jacket uses a limited supply of syringes filled with the Sinlak beetle compound to shoot the Viltrumites, making them more vulnerable to physical damage, while Space Racer flies in and releases several Ragnars to attack. Space Racer’s helmet shatters and he begins to suffocate, but Tech Jacket comes to his rescue. Nolan confronts Thragg, who then punches him, sending him tumbling toward the surface of Viltrum, ordering him to “go home”: on the planet, the two former friends face off, but Nolan refuses to betray the Coalition, calling Viltrum a grave and declaring, “You are no longer my family.” Thragg tries other ways to convince Nolan to betray Thaedus, bringing up the safety of Mark and Oliver. In the throne room, Thragg tells Nolan that fighting for Thaedus means fighting for his own destruction, as well as that of Mark and Oliver. Nolan insists that if Thragg agrees to stop the fighting, he will spare him, and is willing to go against Thaedus’s orders. Still incredulous, Thragg rejects Nolan’s offer, telling him, “The death of a Viltrumite leaves a void within me,” before hurling him into orbit with a punch.
Thragg returns to the battlefield, where Oliver, disobeying orders, attempts to confront him alone. The attempt ends disastrously: Thragg rips off Oliver’s jaw and right arm, leaving him dying in orbit. Mark witnesses the scene, and his rage flares up again. He threatens, “I killed Conquest, and I’ll kill you too!” For a moment, everyone—heroes and Viltrumites alike—stops fighting and stares at Mark…but things don’t go as the protagonist had hoped. Mark tries to punch Thragg, but it doesn’t even make a dent.
Seeing Oliver gravely wounded, Nolan has an idea: he orders the team to follow him and asks Space Racer to fire his Infinity Ray at the surface of Viltrum. As they begin their descent, Allen and Tech Jacket are knocked out, leaving only Thaedus, Mark, Nolan, and Space Racer to face the dangerous expedition. Mark, Nolan, and Thaedus try to reach the center of Viltrum to open a passage for Space Racer’s beam and allow it to reach the core. Their plan succeeds, and the planet Viltrum is completely obliterated, leaving only debris in space.
As everyone stops and stares in astonishment at the remains of Viltrum, Thaedus declares that this was the only way to show them the truth: “Viltrumites, your world has been destroyed. Surrender is your only option.“ But Thragg refuses to give in and shouts, ”I choose death!” He flies toward Thaedus and rips off his head, announcing that Emperor Argall’s death has finally been avenged.
Mark orders Allen to find Oliver, while Thragg grabs Nolan and flies away with him. Mark watches in horror as Thragg brutally beats Nolan, punching him through the chest and apparently killing him as well. Mark tries to attack again, but Thragg is unbeatable, and Invincible seems unable to even scratch him. At that point, all seems lost: Thragg grabs Mark by the head and begins to gouge out his eyes. The other Viltrumites arrive, ordering Thragg to finish him off, but the Regent suddenly stops: seeing the remains of Viltrum, he realizes that the Viltrumites are finished and spares Mark: “There are few of us left.”
After Mark and Nolan’s bodies drift through space for days, they are found by Telia and the crew. Episode 7 concludes weeks later, with Mark waking up to discover that Allen has become the interim leader of the Coalition of Planets. We also learn that both Nolan and Oliver are still alive, though both are recovering and have metal prosthetics in place of their lost arms.
In the final scene, Allen briefs Mark on Thragg’s situation: the Coalition has no idea where the Regent and his remaining Viltrumites ended up after the battle that destroyed the planet Viltrum, but after a few seconds, Mark realizes… Thragg and the other Viltrumites are heading toward Earth!
“Don’t Do Anything Rash” was another exceptional episode, featuring a pivotal moment for Nolan, an exciting battle against the Viltrumites, and an intriguing origin story for Thragg. It’s also one of the most fast-paced episodes of the entire season—perhaps of the entire series—and sets the stage for the grand finale coming next week!
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